Navigation VA Improves Veterans’ Access to Medical Care through New Initiative
Veterans Affairs medical facilities experienced a notable increase in patient visits and a decrease in wait times during the first half of the new fiscal year which was attributed to the implementation of additional night and weekend appointments as part of the Access Sprints initiative. This initiative, driven by VA leaders’ efforts to expand healthcare access following the passage of comprehensive military toxic exposure legislation in 2022, has resulted in an 11% rise in new patient appointments and an 12% reduction in new patients waiting beyond department guidelines. Despite some changes requiring additional staffing and overtime, most services are designed to be sustainable going forward. VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal expressed confidence that these improvements can be maintained even as the department plans to reduce medical positions through attrition without impacting patient care capacity.
The success of the Access Sprints initiative reflects a collaborative effort between local VA facilities, regional networks, and department officials to enhance timeliness, efficiency, capacity, and employee experience. Looking ahead, VA leaders aim to sustain these improvements by closely evaluating ongoing services and identifying areas for continued enhancement. Despite plans to trim medical positions through attrition, VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal reassures that patient care capacity will remain unaffected, highlighting the commitment to prioritizing veterans’ healthcare needs while optimizing resource allocation within the department.
Moving forward, VA leaders are committed to maintaining the momentum of the Access Sprints initiative by leveraging feedback from medical centers and networks to identify areas of improvement. Dr. Shereef Elnahal emphasized the importance of sustainability, indicating that while some changes required additional resources initially, they were designed with long-term viability in mind. As the department aims to streamline operations through attrition, the focus remains squarely on ensuring that veterans receive the timely, quality care they deserve.
